11-beauty and beast-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



leading　to　the　terrace；　and　when　they　had　dismounted　her

father　led　her　to　the　little　room　he　had　been　in　before；

where　they　found　a　splendid　fire　burning；　and　the　table

daintily　spread　with　a　delicious　supper。



The　merchant　knew　that　this　was　meant　for　them；　and

Beauty；　who　was　rather　less　frightened　now　that　she　had

passed　through　so　many　rooms　and　seen　nothing　of　the

Beast；　was　quite　willing　to　begin；　for　her　long　ride　had

made　her　very　hungry。　But　they　had　hardly　finished

their　meal　when　the　noise　of　the　Beast's　footsteps　was

heard　approaching；　and　Beauty　clung　to　her　father　in

terror；　which　became　all　the　greater　when　she　saw　how

frightened　he　was。　But　when　the　Beast　really　appeared；

though　she　trembled　at　the　sight　of　him；　she　made　a　great

effort　to　hide　her　terror；　and　saluted　him　respectfully。



This　evidently　pleased　the　Beast。　After　looking　at　her

he　said；　in　a　tone　that　might　have　struck　terror　into　the

boldest　heart；　though　he　did　not　seem　to　be　angry：



〃Good…evening；　old　man。　Good…evening；　Beauty。〃



The　merchant　was　too　terrified　to　reply；　but　Beauty

answered　sweetly：　〃Good…evening；　Beast。〃



〃Have　you　come　willingly？〃　asked　the　Beast。　〃Will

you　be　content　to　stay　here　when　your　father　goes　away？〃



Beauty　answered　bravely　that　she　was　quite　prepared

to　stay。



〃I　am　pleased　with　you；〃　said　the　Beast。　〃As　you　have

come　of　your　own　accord；　you　may　stay。　As　for　you；　old

man；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　merchant；　〃at　sunrise　to…

morrow　you　will　take　your　departure。　When　the　bell

rings　get　up　quickly　and　eat　your　breakfast；　and　you　will

find　the　same　horse　waiting　to　take　you　home；　but　remember

that　you　must　never　expect　to　see　my　palace　again。〃



Then　turning　to　Beauty；　he　said：



〃Take　your　father　into　the　next　room；　and　help　him　to

choose　everything　you　think　your　brothers　and　sisters

would　like　to　have。　You　will　find　two　traveling…trunks

there；　fill　them　as　full　as　you　can。　It　is　only　just　that　you

should　send　them　something　very　precious　as　a　remembrance

of　yourself。〃



Then　he　went　away；　after　saying；　〃Good…by；　Beauty；

good…by；　old　man〃；　and　though　Beauty　was　beginning　to

think　with　great　dismay　of　her　father's　departure；　she　was

afraid　to　disobey　the　Beast's　orders；　and　they　went　into

the　next　room；　which　had　shelves　and　cupboards　all　round

it。　They　were　greatly　surprised　at　the　riches　it　contained。

There　were　splendid　dresses　fit　for　a　queen；　with　all　the

ornaments　that　were　to　be　worn　with　them；　and　when

Beauty　opened　the　cupboards　she　was　quite　dazzled　by

the　gorgeous　jewels　that　lay　in　heaps　upon　every　shelf。

After　choosing　a　vast　quantity；　which　she　divided　between

her　sistersfor　she　had　made　a　heap　of　the　wonderful

dresses　for　each　of　themshe　opened　the　last　chest；

which　was　full　of　gold。



〃I　think；　father；〃　she　said；　〃that；　as　the　gold　will　be

more　useful　to　you；　we　had　better　take　out　the　other

things　again；　and　fill　the　trunks　with　it。〃　So　they　did

this；　but　the　more　they　put　in　the　more　room　there　seemed

to　be；　and　at　last　they　put　back　all　the　jewels　and　dresses

they　had　taken　out；　and　Beauty　even　added　as　many

more　of　the　jewels　as　she　could　carry　at　once；　and　then

the　trunks　were　not　too　full；　but　they　were　so　heavy　that

an　elephant　could　not　have　carried　them！



〃The　Beast　was　mocking　us；〃　cried　the　merchant；　〃he

must　have　pretended　to　give　us　all　these　things；　knowing

that　I　could　not　carry　them　away。〃



〃Let　us　wait　and　see；〃　answered　Beauty。　〃I　cannot

believe　that　he　meant　to　deceive　us。　All　we　can　do　is　to

fasten　them　up　and　leave　them　ready。〃



So　they　did　this　and　returned　to　the　little　room；　where；

to　their　astonishment；　they　found　breakfast　ready。　The

merchant　ate　his　with　a　good　appetite；　as　the　Beast's

generosity　made　him　believe　that　he　might　perhaps　venture

to　come　back　soon　and　see　Beauty。　But　she　felt　sure

that　her　father　was　leaving　her　for　ever；　so　she　was　very

sad　when　the　bell　rang　sharply　for　the　second　time；　and

warned　them　that　the　time　had　come　for　them　to　part。

They　went　down　into　the　courtyard；　where　two　horses

were　waiting；　one　loaded　with　the　two　trunks；　the　other

for　him　to　ride。　They　were　pawing　the　ground　in　their

impatience　to　start；　and　the　merchant　was　forced　to　bid

Beauty　a　hasty　farewell；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　mounted

he　went　off　at　such　a　pace　that　she　lost　sight　of　him　in　an

instant。　Then　Beauty　began　to　cry；　and　wandered　sadly

back　to　her　own　room。　But　she　soon　found　that　she　was

very　sleepy；　and　as　she　had　nothing　better　to　do　she　lay

down　and　instantly　fell　asleep。　And　then　she　dreamed

that　she　was　walking　by　a　brook　bordered　with　trees；　and

lamenting　her　sad　fate；　when　a　young　prince；　handsomer

than　anyone　she　had　ever　seen；　and　with　a　voice　that

went　straight　to　her　heart；　came　and　said　to　her；　〃Ah；

Beauty！　you　are　not　so　unfortunate　as　you　suppose。　Here

you　will　be　rewarded　for　all　you　have　suffered　elsewhere。

Your　every　wish　shall　be　gratified。　Only　try　to　find　me

out；　no　matter　how　I　may　be　disguised；　as　I　love　you

dearly；　and　in　making　me　happy　you　will　find　your　own

happiness。　Be　as　true…hearted　as　you　are　beautiful；　and

we　shall　have　nothing　left　to　wish　for。〃



〃What　can　I　do；　Prince；　to　make　you　happy？〃　said

Beauty。



〃Only　be　grateful；〃　he　answered；　〃and　do　not　trust　too

much　to　your　eyes。　And；　above　all；　do　not　desert　me

until　you　have　saved　me　from　my　cruel　misery。〃



After　this　she　thought　she　found　herself　in　a　room　with

a　stately　and　beautiful　lady；　who　said　to　her：



〃Dear　Beauty；　try　not　to　regret　all　you　have　left

behind　you；　for　you　are　destined　to　a　better　fate。　Only　do

not　let　yourself　be　deceived　by　appearances。〃



Beauty　found　her　dreams　so　interesting　that　she　was　in

no　hurry　to　awake；　but　presently　the　clock　roused　her　by

calling　her　name　softly　twelve　times；　and　then　she　got　up

and　found　her　dressing…table　set　out　with　everything　she

could　possibly　want；　and　when　her　toilet　was　finished　she

found　dinner　was　waiting　in　the　room　next　to　hers。　But

dinner　does　not　take　very　long　when　you　are　all　by　yourself；

and　very　soon　she　sat　down　cosily　in　the　corner　of　a

sofa；　and　began　to　think　about　the　charming　Prince　she

had　seen　in　her　dream。



〃He　said　I　could　make　him　happy；〃　said　Beauty　to

herself。



〃It　seems；　then；　that　this　horrible　Beast　keeps　him　a

prisoner。　How　can　I　set　him　free？　I　wonder　why　they

both　told　me　not　to　trust　to　appearances？　I　don't　understand

it。　But；　after　all；　it　was　only　a　dream；　so　why

should　I　trouble　myself　about　it？　I　had　better　go　and

find　something　to　do　to　amuse　myself。〃



So　she　got　up　and　began　to　explore　some　of　the　many

rooms　of　the　palace。



The　first　she　entered　was　lined　with　mirrors；　and　Beauty

saw　herself　reflected　on　every　side；　and　thought　she　had

never　seen　such　a　charming　room。　Then　a　bracelet　which

was　hanging　from　a　chandelier　caught　her　eye；　and　on

taking　it　down　she　was　greatly　surprised　to　find　that　it

held　a　portrait　of　her　unknown　admirer；　just　as　she　had

seen　him　in　her　dream。　With　great　delight　she　slipped

the　bracelet　on　her　arm；　and　went　on　into　a　gallery　of

pictures；　where　she　soon　found　a　portrait　of　the　same

handsome　Prince；　as　large　as　life；　and　so　well　painted　that

as　she　studied　it　he　seemed　to　smile　kindly　at　her。　Tearing

herself　away　from　the　portrait　at　last；　she　passed　through

into　a　room　which　contained　every　musical　instrument

under　the　sun；　and　here　she　amused　herself　for　a　long

while　in　trying　some　of　them；　and　singing　until　she　was

tired。　The　next　room　was　a　library；　and　she　saw　everything

she　had　ever　wanted　to　read；　as　well　as　everything

she　had　read；　and　it　seemed　to　her　that　a　whole　lifetime

would　not　be　enough　to　even　read　the　names　of　the　books；

there　were　so　many。　By　this　time　it　was　growing　dusk；

and　wax　candles　in　diamond　and　ruby　candlesticks　were

beginning　to　light　themselves　in　eve